Brooklyn-based artist Hein Koh just gave a metaphorical middle finger to anyone who’s ever criticized working moms. She posted a #TBT photo that shows her working while breast-feeding both (!) of her newborn twins. Koh used the image to clap back at Marina Abramović after the famous performance artist said kids hold women back in art.
Koh told Buzzfeed the photo was completely candid (her husband snapped it)— and the caption is equally blunt. Dozens of working parents have commented on Koh’s Instagram sharing support and sympathizing with the struggle of balancing work and family life.
Check out the Instagram below:
#tbt 5/19/15 when my #twins were 5 weeks old, and despite the sleep deprivation and frequent (every 2-3 hours, 24-7, 45 min at a time) #breastfeeding, I was still getting sh*t done.
#MarinaAbramovic thinks children hold women back in the art world, but as @dubz19 put so aptly, “F*KKK THAT”. All Marina knows is her own experience, and it may be true for her, but that is not everyone’s experience or truth. Becoming a #mom (of twins no less) has personally helped me become a better #artist—I learned to be extremely efficient with my time, prioritize what’s important and let go of the rest, and #multitask like a champ.I learned to function (even if barely) on very little sleep, and out of the chaos, insanity, and even torture at times, a flood of new emotions entered into my work, becoming more interesting and layered as a result.
I’m also not saying that artist parents are better artists than non-parent artists, or that choosing not to be a parent will deny you access to these learning experiences. What I am saying is that parenting is like any other challenge in life—the biggest f*cking challenge in my own life thus far—and if you embrace it and figure out creative solutions, you can emerge a better person. It’s important to think about the ways in which these challenges can help you move forward, rather than hold you back.#artistmom #tandembreastfeeding #multitasking #heinkoh #greenpoint #brooklyn #nyc
